Machine and method for drainage line construction



June 1 1, 1968 MACHINE AND Filed April 2, 1965 C. F. SPEICHER ET AL v Av 14%? METHOD FOR DRAINAGE LINE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet IL June 11, 1968 c. F. SPEICHER ET AL 3,387,461

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR DRAINAGE LINE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS r-. 5 Psmnsz 1 E. Spa/c053 C. BY M.

United States Patent 3,387,461 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR DRAINAGE LINE CONSTRUCTEON Carl F. Speicher and Marcus E. Speichcr, Celina, Ohio,

assignors to Speicher Bros, llnc., Celina, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 444,963 1 Claim. (Cl. 61-63) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a machine for forming an underground conduit filled with a material having interstices of a size and spaced to provide for water flow therethrough, the machine having a hopper, and means to form the conduit and deposit material therein with vibrating means to prevent the material from clogging a chute or the like.

This invention relates to a machine and method of drainage line construction, and particularly to the construction of drainage lines which are of subterranean form.

More particularly the drainage lines which are contemplated for construction by the machine and method of this invention, are those which are necessary to provide in farm fields or other similar locations at which it is primarily desirable to carry off excess water rather than to attempt to dispose of all water which may be accumulating at any particular location.

It will be understood that the foregoing concept is therefore particularly suitable for farm fields where the moisture is desirably distributed through the ground but excess moisture is carried off to drainage ditches or the like whence it may be otherwise directed to usual places which will not disturb the farm operation.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a method of constructing such drainage lines which will be much more economical and rapid than has heretofore been known, and to this end the machine designed for this purpose is intended to be simple and rugged in construction to carry out the concept hereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of drainage line construction involving the use of what may be termed a stone or permeable line in contrast to a tile or other type of drainage line, which latter are necessarily constructed by the use of very expensive ditching or trenching machines, involving likewise the rather costly use of drain tile as well as the necessity to lay the tile at the time of ditching with subsequent costs involved in backfilling over the tile laid therein.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a novel machine which will provide a passageway in or beneath the ground, which will be called a subterranean passageway in which crushed stone or the like is deposited so as to form a line which is permeable and yet which will carry off excess water reaching the same since it is less dense than the surrounding ground in which the line is laid.

The novel concept of the method hereof, consists of the deposits of a crushed stone material in a subterranean passageway as the passageway is being constructed and specifically simultaneously with said construction, said stone being compacted sufiiciently to provide the necessary support for travel on the ground afterward but at the same time sufliciently permeable to act as a drain line in carrying off the excess water hereinbefore referred to and which is necessarily objectionable from the standpoint of farming operation.

Another aspect of the novel concept of machine is the Patented June Till, I968 "ice fact that it is designed to incorporate certain vibrating means therein which will cause the crushed stone or gravel to flow readily and rapidly into the passageway as it is constructed, the passageway being sufficiently below the ground to operate properly and at the same time eliminate the necessity to perform subsequent backfilling op erations as the line is constructed.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the machine including a tractive vehicle which is capable of forming the drainage line hereof.

FIGURE 2 is a top elevational view illustrating the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of the disclosure of FIG- URE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE I initially, the machine hereof is generally denoted 1 and consists of a generally rectilinear frame 2, having the side members 3 and 4 somewhat widely spaced and parallel, being connected at their forward end by a transverse member 5, with suitable towing connection formed by the forwardly extending parts 6 and 7 at the juncture of which is a towing connection 8.

The frame 2 includes further a transversely extending member 9 at the rear thereof connecting the side members 3 and 4, there being suitable gussets or similar strengthening members such as it at the various corners to rigidity the entire structure and provide for the support on such rigid structure of a hopper generally denoted it.

In order to raise and lower the frame 2, suitable hydraulic .piston and cylinder units 12 and 13 are provided at Opposite sides, connected to triangular shaped parts 14 and 15. As indicated in FIGURE 1, the cylinder 12 is used as an example and discloses the connection of the end 16 thereof with upstanding ears I? so as to pivot at 18, the piston rod being connected at 1? to the triangular member 14, the triangular member 14 in turn being connected to upstanding ears 2t at 21 on the frame part i.

The triangular parts 14 and 15 at their free ends so to speak, carry the axle 22 in suitable universal mountings so that the wheels 23 and 24 may be separately adjustable in effect or more particularly the frame 2 may be adjusted with respect to the axle 22 and thereby the wheels 23 and 24 in a manner to move one of the side parts 4 up close to the axle and the other part 3 down awa from the axle or vice versa or uniformly as may be necessary in accordance with the terrain over which the machine is required to travel.

It will be seen from FIGURE 1, the hopper 11 is supported on the transversely extending frame part 9 so as to extend thereabove and be open at the upper side to facilitate receiving therewithin crushed stone or gravel or the like, the hopper 11 having extending transversely thereof the screw unit 26, which includes the drive shaft 27 upon which screw fl ghts 28 and 29 are suitably positioned and fastened. The flights 28 and 29 are of the opposite hand and upon rotation designed to cause crushed stone or the like in the hopper to move toward the center thereof, operation of the shaft 27 for rotation is effected by means of a suitable motor 30 at one side of the hopper being connected by chain and sprocket means 30a to the shaft 27, and being a hydraulic motor operable in and by the hydraulic controls provided but not shown in detail herein since they will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

About centrally of the hopper 11, and extending downwardly therefrom, is a plow member 31, which as suggested in FIGURE 1 is hollow having the passage 32 therein extending from the hopper and downwardly and 3 rearwardly with outwardly directed mouth 33 whereby the material from the hopper will flow through the passage 32 and out through the mouth 33 into the ground as indicated in FIGURE 1 and specifically of course, into the passage 34 formed by the plow member 31.

The plow member 31 may have a plow share 35 at its lower end with suitable structural formation for connection to the frame 2 so as to provide a rigid arrangement which will penetrate the ground and construct the drainage line as the machine is towed forward by the tractor generally denoted at 36.

From the foregoing it is believed to be understood that the plow member 31 can be caused to move downwardly into the ground by the formation thereof in conjunction with manipulation of the disc control cylinders 12 and 13 until the desired depth is reached, and as the machine is pulled forward by the tractor 36, cause a passageway such as 34 to be formed in the ground and beneath the surface thereof.

The ground thus plowed in effect is permitted to flow around the plow member 31, and thence the plow member will displace the ground in the form of a passageway. When the crushed stone or the like is caused to flow down into the passageway 32, it will be simultaneously caused to occupy the passageway 34.

In order to most effectively fill the passageway and cause the stone to flow through the passage 32, a vibrating unit generally denoted 37 and of any particular form, not here material, is caused to operate by hydraulic means or otherwise, to thoroughly vibrate the material in the passageway and thus cause it to readily fiow as indicated.

It will be understood that the stone or like material will thus occupy a passageway in the ground which has been formed by displacing earth in advance of the deposit of the stone and thus no backfilling or the like is required thereafter.

Since the interstices in the stone will be substantially greater than those in the ground in which the passageway is being constructed, it will be understood that the water will fiow thereinto and be carried off as necessary thereby.

The method of construction of the drainage line is of course understood by pointing out that as the plow is towed forward it displaces earth, and at the same time the stone or gravel is caused to move downwardly through the plow and into the area from which the ground has been displaced and occupy such area thereafter.

We claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, means for adjustably supporting said frame for travel movement, whereby said frame may assume different transverse attitudes and longitudinal heights with respect to the service over which the machine is traveling, a material supply hopper on said frame, a plow member carried by the frame for ground penetration to form a passageway beneath the surface of said ground, said member having a passageway extending from the hopper downwardly and rearwardly, and means to vibrate material having interstices between the constituents thereof and causing the same to pass from the hopper through the plow member into said ground passageway during formation of said passageway, hopper extending transversely of the frame, the plow member located about centrally with respect to the hopper, means being provided to cause material in the hopper to move toward the center thereof and into the member for directing said material into the ground passageway, the means to vibrate the material during said movement being positioned about at the juncture of the plow passageway and hopper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 978,836 12/1910 Bowslaugh 6lll 2.647,758 8/1953 Ryan 6l72.6 X 2,995,902 8/1961 Wheeler 6172.6 3,182,460 5/1965 Durston et al 6lll X 3,201,148 8/1965 Schramm 6172.6 3,222,876 12/1965 Harmstorf 6l72.6 X

EARL I. VVITMER, Primary Examiner. 

